


Santa's Official Helper

by rowofstars



Series: 31 Days of Ficmas 2017 [15]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: 31 Days of Ficmas, Awkward Flirting, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Fluff, bae is just a kid fyi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-16
Updated: 2017-12-16
Packaged: 2019-02-15 08:16:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13026960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rowofstars/pseuds/rowofstars
Summary: Gold and his son arrived to meet Santa, but find Belle instead. For the 31 Days of Ficmas prompt #15 - Santa or Elves. I hope you all realize these are horribly unbeta’d and likely riddled with errors.





	Santa's Official Helper

**Author's Note:**

> This is just silly, but I hope it makes up for the awfulness I dropped on everyone yesterday?

Bailey Gold stood in Storybrooke’s library, staring at the empty red velvet chair in the town’s small scale version of a Christmas Village, looking for all the world like he was about to burst into tears. His father, Mr. Gold, owner of the pawnshop and at least half the real estate in town, stood behind him, looking for all the world like he had no idea what to do if his son were to burst into tears.

“It’s - it’s alright, Bae,” he said, giving the boy’s shoulder a squeeze. “You can leave school a little early tomorrow, and we’ll drive down to Portland and go to the mall there.”

Bailey looked up at him uncertain, his lower lip pushed out in a rather endearing pout. “But tomorrow is the holiday party at school. You said you’d help me make cookies tonight.”

“Right…” Gold frowned. He’d known that, but things had been a bit busy the last couple of days with it being so close to Christmas and the end of the year. He was certain though, that he had read the times for the Christmas Village in the paper correctly. “Santa” would be there from ten to seven, and it was just now five o’clock.

But there was no Santa, just an empty chair.

“Oh!” came a voice from the back of the library. “I’m sorry! I didn’t realize anyone came in.”

Gold’s face lit up as Belle French came around the shelves. “Miss French,” he started, then he stopped and his mouth dropped open when he saw what she was wearing.

The green skirt was a bit shorter than her usual wardrobe, and it puffed out around her legs from the crinoline that was beneath it. Her top was a simple green button down with some red and white embellishments, but what really made her ensemble were the candy cane striped stockings and the sparkly red heels. She was the most adorable Santa’s elf he’d ever seen, and he was quite possibly even more smitten with her. And that was saying something given that he’d been besotted with her from the first day they met and had been harboring a growing crush every day since.

“Uh, I’m - I mean we were -” He snapped his mouth shut and pressed his lips together, struggling for words as a slow smile spread over her face.

“Where’s Santa?” asked Bailey.

Belle’s face fell. “I’m so sorry, Bae. He had to, uh, go - back to his workshop.”

Bae shuffled his feet and pushed his hands down in his coat pockets. “Oh. Why?”

She knelt down in front of him and gave him a small smile. “Well, there was a problem with some of the toys and he had to make sure it was all fixed in time for Christmas.” Her eyes darted up to Gold’s face, and her smile broadening when she met his warm brown eyes. “It was very last minute, I’m very sorry. I meant to put up a sign, but I got distracted reshelving some books.”

Gold shook his head. “That’s quite alright, Miss French.” 

The Santa duties were usually covered by a combination of Mr. Clark from the drugstore and Mr. Merlyn who taught chemistry at the high school. Something must have happened to one or both of them for there to be no one to cover.

“Will he be back tomorrow?” Bailey asked.

Belle bit her lip and shot another look at Gold. “I’m sorry, but Santa’s schedule is so busy he won’t be able to come back tomorrow.”

Bailey looked almost distraught. “But Papa - how - how will I tell Santa what I _need_ for _Christmas?_ ”

Gold braced himself for a difficult evening of dealing with an extremely disappointed six year old. “Well, uh, we - we can go this weekend...” No, there was the Nolan’s party this weekend at the farm. “Or, um…”

“Hey, Bailey,” Belle said, her voice just above a whisper so that Gold could hear what she was saying.

He flash her a smile when she glanced up at him, grateful that she’d sensed his distress.

Bailey immediate turned his attention to Belle, and she leaned in with a sly smile. “You know, I’m Santa’s _Official_ Helper in Storybrooke. If you tell me what you want for Christmas, I can tell Santa.”

Bailey titled his head to the side. “How?”

“I’ll text him.” Belle grinned. She didn’t care if it made sense or not, if it made Bae happy and save his father some grief, it was worth it.

The boy’s eyes went wide. “You have _Santa’s_ phone number?!”

Even though it was harmless white lie told for the benefit of a child, she still felt quite important. “All Santa’s helpers do.”

“Wow…” His voice was hushed and he looked up at Belle in awe. Then he pulled a face. “Do I have to sit on your lap?”

It was all Belle could do not to laugh, and when she looked at Gold again, she could see he was having the same problem. “Not if you don’t want to, sweetheart. All you have to do is whisper to me.”

She turned her head to the side, her eyes on Gold’s as his son leaned in to whisper his most wanted presents in her ear. The way Gold was looking at her was so soft it made her heart skip, and she had to ask Bae to repeat his last item to make sure she got it all correct.

“You _promise_ you’ll tell Santa?”

Belle smiled and straightened, brushing her hands down the front of her outfit. “I’ll do it right now.”

She walked over to the main desk and picked up her phone, opening a new text message and typing out what Bae had just told her. To make it look more real, she entered SANTA at the top in the recipient list. Of course there was no such contact in her phone, but the boy didn’t need to know that.

“See?” she said, bending down to show him the phone.

Bailey eyed the screen and a wide grin spread over his face, much to Gold’s relief. She had turned away to show his son the message she was pretending to send to Santa, but he could read the screen quite clearly over her shoulder. Luckily, he knew his son well enough that everything Bae asked Santa Claus to bring him was already wrapped and hidden on the top shelf in his walk-in closet. He thought he must be beaming from ear to ear. Belle French was an absolute treasure.

“Thank you, Miss Belle!” Bailey exclaimed, throwing his arms around Belle’s neck.

She laughed and hugged him back. “You are so welcome. I’m glad I could help.”

Her eyes found Gold’s again as she turned around and an idea popped into her head. “Bae, why don’t you go grab some candy out of the bowl? I think there’s some peanut butter cups left...”

Bailey gave a cheer and ran across the room to the refreshment table to dig through the candy bowl.

“Speaking of phone numbers...” she said as she turned to Gold and held out her phone. 

The message to “Santa” was still open on the screen, the cursor blinking next to it. It took Gold a moment, but he finally reached out and took it from her, and entered his personal number. He handed the phone back, and a few seconds later, his cell beeped in his pocket. Belle waited as he pulled it out to see a message from her number. Up popped the list of Bailey’s gifts.

He grinned. “Very clever.”

Belle’s head dipped and she smiled. “Why thank you.”

Bailey hurried back to his father’s side, the pockets of his coat stuffed with candy. Gold rolled his eyes. Well, we need to head home and - _bake_ \- a batch of cookies for tomorrow.”

She gave Gold a sympathetic look. “Goodnight, Mr. Gold. And goodnight, Bailey!”

“Night, Miss Belle!” Bailey hollered back, already halfway out the door.

“Goodnight, and thank you.” He sighed and inclined his head, not looking forward to spending the night in the kitchen, covered in flour.

“If you need help,” Belle called out, and Gold stopped with the door open. She help up her phone and wiggled it back and forth. “You know how to reach me.”

She winked at him, and his eyebrows lifted. “Indeed I do, Miss French.”

Later, Belle was standing in her small kitchen, toying with the string of a tea bag while it seeped, when her phone buzzed. She picked up, tapped the screen, and smiled.


End file.
